Summary
The capacity of the compound eye to perceive its spatial environment is quantified by determining the number of different pictures that can be reconstructed by its array of retinula cells. We can then decide on the best compromise between an animal's capacity for fine detail and contrast sensitivity. The theory accounts for imperfect optics, photon noise, and angular motion limitations to acuity.
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1.
There is an optimum parameterp = D Δ φ, whereD is the facet diameter andΔ φ is the interommatidial angle, for each mean luminance, angular velocity and mean object contrast. We find that this value ofp is approximately that found by Snyder (1977) for threshold resolution of a sinusoidal grating at the ommatidial sampling frequency.
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A diffraction limited eye (D Δ φ ≅λ/√¯3) is the optimum design only for those animals that are active in the brightest sunlight, and have a region of their eye that normally experiences low angular velocity, otherwise it is better to have a largerD Δ φ. λ is the wavelength of light in vacuum.
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3.
The design of the flyMusca is consistent with that of an animal with high angular velocity.
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Snyder, A.W., Stavenga, D.G. & Laughlin, S.B. Spatial information capacity of compound eyes. J. Comp. Physiol. 116, 183–207 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605402
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605402